CAIRO (Reuters) – Backed by a troupe on drums and tambourines, 72-year-old Um Sameh performs songs that gradually crescendo against waves of percussion. One of the last practitioners of Zar music, she is part of an ensemble called Mazaher that was formed to keep the traditional art form alive. Zar was once practised in several …
Female-led Egyptian ensemble keeps rhythmic folk music alive Read More »
VATICAN CITY (Reuters) – Pope Francis on Sunday praised the people of Morocco for coming together to try to rescue a small boy trapped in a well and said he was saddened that their efforts were not successful. Rayan Awram, 5, fell into the well in the hills near the northern city of Chefchaouen on …
Pope praises Moroccans for showing unity over boy trapped in well Read More »
KHARTOUM (Reuters) – Clashes between military forces and armed groups at the facilities of a former international peace-keeping mission in Sudan’s Darfur region left an unknown number of people dead and injured on Saturday, a military statement said. Witnesses told Reuters they had heard heavy gunfire on Saturday around the perimeter of the headquarters of …
Deadly clashes erupt at peace-keeping facilities in Sudan’s Darfur Read More »
ABUJA (Reuters) – An oil storage vessel that exploded off the coast of Nigeria this week was holding around 50,000 to 60,000 barrels of crude oil at the time of the incident, Minister of Environment Sharon Ikeazor said on Saturday. Nigeria’s Shebah Exploration & Production Company Ltd (SEPCOL) said on Thursday that flames had engulfed …
Exploded Nigerian oil storage vessel had up to 60,000 barrels before incident Read More »
By Tarek Amara TUNIS (Reuters) – Tunisian President Kais Saied on Sunday dissolved the Supreme Judicial Council, the body that deals with judicial independence, a move that raises fears about the independence of the judiciary and was sure to anger his opponents. Saied’s decision caps months of his sharp criticism of the judges. Saied has …
Tunisian president dissolves Supreme Judicial Council Read More »
By Ahmed Eljechtimi RABAT (Reuters) -A small boy trapped in a well in northern Moroccan for five days died before rescuers were able to reach him late on Saturday and retrieve his body, two government officials said. Footage posted on social media showed the scene after his body was recovered, with hundreds of distraught rescue …
By Lovasoa Rabary ANTANANARIVO (Reuters) -Cyclone Batsirai made landfall on Madagascar’s eastern coastline late on Saturday, with residents reporting strong winds, a power blackout and houses destroyed as the storm swept inland. There were fears that Batsirai could compound the devastation wreaked by another cyclone, Ana, which hit the island just two weeks ago, killing …
Cyclone Batsirai destroys homes and knocks out power in Madagascar Read More »
BENI (Reuters) -Four people were hurt when a bomb exploded at a busy market in the city of Beni in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo on Saturday, police said, days after the U.S. embassy in the capital Kinshasa warned of a possible attack. Local police said they were looking for the suspected bomber after …
Four hurt in bomb blast in busy market in east Congo – police Read More »
By Giulia Paravicini ADDIS ABABA (Reuters) -Leaders gathered at an African Union (AU) summit called on Saturday for the continent to have a bigger role on the international stage amid signs the bloc is struggling to forge a coordinated response to challenges from coups to COVID-19. The AU, formed 20 years ago to foster regional …
Coups, COVID and row over Israel test African leaders at summit Read More »
BAMAKO (Reuters) – Mali could set a new date for elections after leader Assimi Goita asked lawmakers to review a transitional charter adopted after the first of two military coups that have upended the country’s regional standing and relationships. The transitional council met on Saturday for an extraordinary session to review the transitional charter, which …
Mali could set new election date after review of post-coup charter Read More »
